Toy



March 11, 19-41. J BECK ETAL 2,234,617

TOY

Filed May 24 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 2.3262 ME.POZL'ZZZ J15. fiq yaod INV EN TORS.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 11 1941 PATENT OFFICE TOY John D. Beck, Marshall E.Powell, and James E. Hagood, Montgomery, Ala.

Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,546

1 Claim.

This invention aims to provide a novel toy in which a projectile orfigure is discharged, for engagement with a swinging trapeze, novelmeans being provided for mounting the trapeze, and novel means beingsupplied for discharging the figure or projectile, the figure orprojectile being so constructed that it will engage with the trapeze andcause the trapeze to turn end-forend.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangment of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device construeted in accordance withthe invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental bottom plan;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the projector;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing one of the projectiles or figures.

The device forming thesubject matter of this application preferably ismade of metal throughout, although some other material or constructionmight be used. The device includes an open bottomed, box-like base I,provided in its top with longitudinal slots 2. Inwardly of the slots 2,brackets 3 are secured to the top of the, base Standards 4 are connectedby pivot elements 5 to the brackets 3, said pivot elements being locatedintermediate the ends of the standards, but nearer to the lower ends ofthe standards than to the upper ends of the standards. The lowerportions of the standards 4 project downwardly through the slots 2 whenthe device is set up for use, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Theupper ends of the standards 4 carry an axle or shaft 6, on which aremounted spacing collars I, abutting against the standards. The standards4 and the axle 6 constitute a supporting frame for the trapezehereinafter described.

An operating bar 8 is mounted for longitudinal movement, transversely ofthe base I, in the side Walls or flanges of the base, the operating barbeing guided, also, in a combined bearing and stop 9, secured to thelower surface of the base. The operating bar 8 carries a transversebracket in, and an anchor H is secured to the lower surface of the base.To the anchor H 5 and to the bracket H] are connected the ends of a pullspring I2.

Latch fingers M are secured to the operating bar 8 and extendtransversely thereof, in the same direction as the bracket Ill. Thelatch 10 fingers M are provided with inclined edges i5, definingtransverse shoulders Hi. The end surfaces of the latch fingers l4 engagethe lower ends of the standards 4, and hold them in the upright positionof Fig. 1, the latch fingers remaining engaged with the lower parts ofthe standards 4, because of the pull of the spring I2, which keeps thefingers I4 in the position of Figure 3, the bracket l0 engaging the stop8.

The operator can shove the bar 8 in the directlon of the arrow in Fig.3, thereby disengaging the ends of the fingers M from the lower parts ofthe standards 4, and the trapeze frame, including the standards and theshaft 6, can be swung down into approximate parallelism with the base,the device then being capable of being stowed in small compass. When thestandards 4 and associated parts are folded, as described, the lowerends of the standards are out of engagement with the latch fingers l4,and above the base I.

In order to erect the standards 4 and connected parts, the operatorswings up the standards into the position of Fig. l, the lower ends ofthe standards passing downwardly through the slots 2. The lower ends ofthe standards enter ahead of the shoulders I6 and ride along theinclined edges l5 of the latch fingers M, the operating bar 8 beingcarried in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. Ultimately, the lowerends of the standards 4 ride off the edges l5 of the fingers l4, andunder the impulse of the spring l2, the bar 8 is moved in a directionopposite to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the ends of the latchfingers l4 engaging the lower parts of the standards 4, as in Fig. 3, tohold the standards 4 erected, as in Fig. l.

A rigid, loop-shaped trapeze I1 is mounted midway between its ends, torotate on the shaft 6, between the spacing collars I. The numeral 18marks a figure of any desired form weighted at its lower end, as shownat l9, so that the figure will hang in an approximately verticalposition, on the lower cross bar of the trapeze H, as shown in Fig. l.The figure I8 is sus pended from the lower cross bar of the trapeze I!by hooks 23, the shanks of which are secured to the plate-like figurel8, the lower ends of the shanks of the hooks having outstanding,rectangularly disposed abutments 2|. There may be as many or as few ofthe hooks 20 as is desired, but preferably there are two of them. Thebill of each hook 20 is closed sufficiently so that the figure I'Bcannot escape from the lower cross bar of the trapeze IT. The figure [8acts as a counterweight, maintaining the trapeze H in the substantiallyupright position of Fig. 1.

Another figure 22 is provided, and this figure i constructed, ingeneral, like the figure l8, the hook of the figure 22 being left open,so that, when the figure is projected upwardly and forwardly, by a meansto be described hereinafter, the hook will engage with the upper crossbar of the trapeze l1. When the figure 22 is projected upwardly andforwardly, to cause its hook 2|] to engage with the upper cross bar ofthe trapeze ll, the abutment 2| is below the upper cross bar of thetrapeze, and the figure or projectile 22 will not be likely to slideupward, clear of the upper cross bar of the trapeze. Considerable skill,however, is required to cause the hook 20 of the figure 22 to engagewith the upper cross bar of the trapeze. When the figure 22 is engagedwith the upper cross bar of the trapeze l1, there is an impact, whichcauses the trapeze to turn end-for-end on the shaft or axle 6, thefigures l8 and 22 moving around in an orbit, and swinging on therespective cross bars of the trapeze.

It will be noted that the figures l8 and 22 are substantial duplicates,in general construction, saving as to the hooks 20. The hooks bybending, may be made to take the shape shown in connection with thefigure l8 or the shape shown in connection with the figure 22. It isunnecessary, therefore, to have structurally different figures, formounting on the lower cross bar of the trapeze H, or for engagement withthe upper cross bar of the trapeze, and the cost of manufacture,therefore, is cut down appreciably.

As to the means for projecting the figure 22, supports 23 are secured tothe upper surface of the base I, and in them, a shaft 24 is mounted. Acatapult lever 25, of inverted trough shape, is provided, and isfulcrumed intermediate its ends on the shaft 24, for swinging movementbetween the supports 23. The catapult lever 25 is fulcrumed much nearerto its inner end than to its outer end. The catapult lever 25 is beveledat its inner end, and on its lower edges, as shown at 26, so that theouter end of the lever can have a proper amount of upward movement,before the edge 26 comes into contact with the upper surface of the baseI.

The catapult lever 25 is swung from the solid line of position of Fig. 1to the dotted line position of that figure, by a spring 21, engagedabout the shaft 24, one arm of the spring having a bearing underneaththe catapult lever 25, and the other arm of the spring having a bearingon the top of the base I. Adjacent to its outer end, the catapult lever25 is provided with transverse retainers 28, defining a seat, in whichthe lower end of the figure or projectile 22 is detachably lodged. Thecatapult lever 25 is maintained releasably in the cocked position ofFig. 1, by means of a spring trigger 29, secured to the base I andengaging the outer end of the lever 25.

When the trigger 29 is detached from the catapult lever 25, the figure22 is projected upwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, underthe impulse of the spring 21, the hook 211 of the figure 22 engaging theupper cross bar of the trapeze H, the trapeze being caused to turnendfor-end on the shaft or axle 6, the figures 22 and I8 being caused tomove in an orbit, the said figures, each, retaining a substantiallyupright position on one of the cross bars of the trapeze, because thefigures are counterweighted at their lower ends, as indicated at IS.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is simple inconstruction and may be turned out at small expense. Considerable skillis required in engaging the figure 22 with the upper cross bar of thetrapeze H, but the abutment 2| on the figure 22 functions to prevent theplaying of the game from being so difiicult a to discourage the player.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a support for a toy trapeze, a base, a frame, means for mounting theframe on the base for folding movement, intermediate its ends, anoperating member mounted for right line sliding movement on the base,latch fingers on the operating member and engaged terminally with thelower portions with the frame, to hold the frame upright, the fingershaving inclined side edges wherewith the lower portions of the framecooperate, as the frame is erected, thereby to move the operating memberlongitudinally and permit the lower portions of the frame to engagepositively with the ends of the fingers, and spring means assembled withthe base and with the operating member to hold the ends of the fingersengaged with the lower parts of the frame When the frame is erected, andto hold the lower portions of the frame in cooperation with the inclinededges, when the frame is folded.

JOHN D. BECK. MARSHALL E. POWELL. JAMES E. HAGOOD.

